Wednesday, April 8, 2009

GM and Segway plan electric two-wheeler

WASHINGTON (AFP) - - US automaker General Motors and scooter maker Segway announced Tuesday they were working together to build a new two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle for city use.

Dubbed Puma (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility), the vehicle would be powered by lithium-ion batteries and feature a wireless communications network allowing users to avoid traffic and prevent crashes, the companies said in a statement.

The prototype is designed to reach speeds of up to 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour and travel up to 35 miles between recharges. But the groups did not say when the two-wheeler would hit the roads or how much it would cost.

"Imagine small, nimble electric vehicles that know where other moving objects are and avoid running into them," said GM vice president of research and development Larry Burns.

"Now, connect those vehicles in an Internet-like web and you can greatly enhance the ability of people to move through cities, find places to park and connect to their social and business networks."

Segway president and CEO Jim Norrod said the project would "demonstrate a dramatically different approach to urban mobility."

Embattled GM, which has already received 13.4 billion dollars in federal bailout funds, is under pressure from the government to develop more environmentally conscious technology less dependent on oil.

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Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people's feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.